


Bella Ciao

by RegallyWickedThirteen



Series: Outlaw Queen Prompt Party 2020 [6]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, la casa au, oq heist au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:07:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 18,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25783375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RegallyWickedThirteen/pseuds/RegallyWickedThirteen
Summary: Robin and his band of Merry Men break into the Royal Mint  with the intention of becoming the richest and most renowned thieves in History. It’s the perfect plan - but there is no room for error and definitely no room for personal relationships. Regina is the lead detective on the case, but can she keep her head in the game with her ex fighting for custody and a handsome stranger that always seems to be there when she needs him?
Relationships: Baelfire | Neal Cassidy/Emma Swan, Belle/Captain Hook | Killian Jones, Belle/Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold, Evil Queen | Regina Mills & Henry Mills, Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood
Series: Outlaw Queen Prompt Party 2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1857628
Comments: 25
Kudos: 17





	1. Perfect Plan

**Author's Note:**

> A HUGE Thank you to suseagull04 for being a beta. It's thanks to her that I actually used comma's! 
> 
> Thank you also to NaniOQ who helped me work out some of the plot points/characters a while back!!
> 
> I've had this chapter in my drafts for a while and have finally got around to publishing it for Day 6 of OQ prompt party (Prompts 42- Regina is a cop and 160 - La Casa AU)
> 
> FINALLY : T/W for sexual harassment and abuse It is marked with **TWSA, please do skip this small section if you need to. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Emma has been running away her whole life. It’s the only thing she knows how to do. The thing is that she can only run for so long; eventually it’s going to catch up to her. It had always risky, coming back here, but she feels she owed it to Mary Margaret. She is the closest to the mum she has ever had, and she knows that she worries her. This was a goodbye, she owes her that much at least. 

She’s approaching the corner of the street, and she can’t help feeling like she is walking into a trap. 

She’s stopped by the sound of a car engine. She thinks this is it. She turns, expecting it to be a police car but it’s not, at least she doesn’t think it is. 

“Get in the car, quickly,” the man says.

Emma has been told since she was a little girl not to trust strangers. Emma doesn’t trust anyone, with the possible exception of her mother. She’s screwed either way, so she gets into the car, but doesn’t let her guard down. 

The man, The Outlaw, as he refers to himself in his introduction, informs Emma that they are waiting for her just down the street. 

This is it. It’s time to stop running, no matter what the consequences. 

She has to make a decision quickly, but she knows she doesn’t really have a choice - the police are closing in, and this is her only chance of escaping. She gets in the car and prays that her mum will eventually forgive her for all the pain she’s caused her. 

The Outlaw drives for hours and doesn’t say a lot. It suits Emma fine, she’s not one for pleasantries and false niceties. It doesn’t stop her curiosity, though. From what little he has said, it’s clear that he has a plan; a plan that is very risky, but one that will also make them very rich. Emma’s more than okay with that, but she is trying to work out what motivates this man - she doesn’t think it’s the money. He’s well spoken, charming and the lilt of his English accent would have many women swooning. He’s clever too. Emma can imagine him as a professor at some prestigious university. She doesn’t question him too much (people assume that criminals have no honour, no morals - they do, they’re just not always the same as other people’s.)

Eventually they arrive at what can only be described as a mansion. It’s secluded, hidden in the depths of Sherwood Forest. There’s an irony to it, a band of thieves planning a heist in the middle of Sherwood Forest. Emma suspects that it’s more than that. Imagery, Folklore have a powerful place in people’s hearts. Robin Hood is painted a hero, when in so many cases he could (should) have been a villain. 

///

She’s introduced briefly to the rest of the team - who will be known by code names (different fairytale characters) in order to protect their identities for as long as possible. Anonymity is key in a heist; you want people to think that they know you and relate to your cause to win the battle of hearts and minds, but keep your true identity hidden. In a game of cops and robbers - love is the biggest weakness. 

There’s Mal, who is fierce and determined and absolutely would not hesitate to burn you to a crisp if she could. She is fast, hilarious and a quick thinker. 

There’s Baelfire (Bae), who Emma knows is going to be dangerous. He's got that boyish charm that she always falls for, he’s a tech wizard, but he’s volatile and reckless. 

There’s Hook, who has the most annoying laugh she thinks she’s ever heard. He’s handsome, in a way that he’s all too aware of, and he wears too much eyeliner. 

His brother, Liam, is the complete opposite. He is quiet but determined, and extremely strong. He speaks softly but with conviction. Emma likes Liam - he’s the calming force this group of misfits needs. 

There’s Little John, who is anything but little. He's a bear of a man who has trained with the Russian army. Emma doesn’t want to know how many ways he knows to kill someone, but she knows it’s a lot. Despite his undeniable skill and ability to hold and use a weapon, it’s clear that he has a kind heart and a penchant for terrible jokes. 

Grumpy is his brother, and as the name suggests. He’s gruff and has a permanent scowl on his face. He’s nosy and loud, but he can follow orders and, like John, is trained in the art of killing. 

Mulan is the final member of the group, her smile is alluring and her beauty distracting. She may look like a flower but she can sting like a bee. She is an expert in martial arts and remains cool even under the most intense pressure.

The Outlaw is coordinating from the outside, with Will as his second in command. Emma doesn’t like him - he seems cocky, arrogant but she just hopes she’s wrong. 

After the introductions, the Outlaw explains that he’s recruited them all to help him with a heist, a heist that is dangerous and unique. They are going to rob the Royal Mint, and not just steal from it, but lay siege, and whilst they do print more and more money, making them not just the most notorious, but the richest thieves in history. They won’t keep all the money themselves, only enough to get away to remote corners of the world and start the lives they’ve so often been denied. Some will go to the public, to homeless shelters and to women’s shelters. To all the people the government and the top one percent have continuously fucked over. He explains that there will be hostages - there has to be to make it work - but under no circumstances should any harm be done to them. The moment a hostage is hurt is the moment they start to lose. They will need to keep the public on their side. They’ll do that by being peaceful, being seen as negotiators and by using the ever present media to present their side. The illegal act is breaking into the mint - the printing of more money is what governments have been doing for centuries. They did it in 1929, They did it in 2008 and they’ll do it again. Printing the money while they’re in there - well that’s just making use of the resources at their disposal. 

Robin looks around at his motley crew - some of them are his oldest and most trusted friends and others are people he’s admired for years, it’s risky, there are lots of things that could go wrong, but he has to believe that they won't. He’s been planning this for years and his father did for years before that. As long as they follow the plan, this might just work. 

His father was a kind man, but distant. He never really recovered from his wife’s death after she gave birth to Robin. He’d been a broken man and struggled for those first few months - Robin was bounced around between various family members. Then he’d straightened himself out (or so he said) and taken Robin back into his custody, along with his elder brother Will. It had been a good few years - they never had a lot, but they had enough and they were happy. Then Will got ill and his father began to slip again, but this time instead of alcohol, he turned to petty larceny. He only stole from the rich, the people that had more money than sense and who wouldn’t really miss a few trinkets. 

His father had always complained about the inequality between the richest and the poorest, and this was his way of trying to rebalance, to gain some semblance of control. He was good at it; people trusted him so they never suspected him, and he’d soon made more than enough to cover the medical bills. 

It didn't stop there. He’d gotten greedy, he wanted- no, needed more. He didn’t see the point in going back to a 9-5 job where he got half the money for the same monotonous grind. That’s when he came up with the plan, to break into the Royal Mint and print money just like they did every time there was a financial crisis - only this time it would be the rich that would have to foot the bill.

He shared his story with Robin and Will and they both laughed - never thinking he was serious. He was. He never got to see it through though. His reputation preceded him and he soon got caught in the wrong crowd. He never used weapons, he was reckless and addicted to the thrill of crime, but he loved his boys and he would never risk them losing him like they did their mother. They had overstated their welcome and the police arrived. Shots were fired. His father was the only victim. Robin vowed then that one day he would do what his father had always dreamed of - rob the Royal Mint. 

The next couple of months are spent frantically learning every single detail about the heist, knowing what to do at every single step and in different situations. It is intense - this heist will either work and they’ll emerge as modern day Robin Hood’s or it won’t and they’ll spend the rest of their lives rotting in a jail somewhere. 

The morning of the heist, there is a buzz of nervous anticipation and everyone praying to whatever deity or higher power they believe in that this will work. No one speaks, unless it’s to do with the preparations. They’ve become a family, this band of misfits, but as soon as they get on the road, ready to start the hijack, they have to leave those feelings behind. It was the Outlaw’s number one rule: no personal relationships. Emotions are the one wild card, but that is all it will take for the plan to crumble. 

A screech of tires, muffled screams, and a few well aimed weapons is all it takes to commandeer the secure truck that will be the gateway into the Mint. It almost seems too easy- this kind of thing only ever happens in the movies. As they drive to the side of the Mint, everyone takes a deep breath. This is where it could all be over before it begins. 

///

There is one advantage they couldn’t have planned for, and it’s a stark reminder why The Outlaw’s “no personal relationship” rule is such a vital one. Belle, the lead teller and Rumple, the head of the Mint, are bickering. Bae can’t make out what they’re saying, but he can see them having a heated debate. It will buy them the crucial minute they need to unload and begin their takeover. 

///

Belle had woken up this morning feeling sick and nauseous for the fifth day in a row. She knows she can no longer put it down to bad Chinese food she thought she’d eaten at the weekend. 

She’s pregnant. She doesn’t need a pregnancy test to prove it, but she takes one, praying for a miracle. 

The miracle doesn’t come. Instead, a little red plus confirms her fate. 

She knows she should have put a stop to the torrid affair with Gold months ago. It should never have even happened. 

Gold had said what she wanted to hear, told her that he and his wife were on the outs. She knew she should have said no to him. But her body said, “hell yes”. 

He makes her feel alive. He appreciates her love of literature, her intellect (even with how stupid she is being) , He loves her. 

Would he still love her when he discovers this? Would he really leave his wife for her? 

Two hours later, she got her answer, or rather lack of one. Gold ran off without saying anything. Coward. 

“I’ve told you I’m pregnant with your child, the least you could do is give me an answer. If you don’t want to be part of its life, fine - I’ll raise it on my own. I need to know”. 

“I have a wife,” Gold hisses. 

Belle is well aware of that fact. 

“You were having problems,” she reminds him. Because yes, she got involved with a married man and it has always been messy, but this is not all on her.

“We were arguing about laundry being left on the floor and not putting bins out.” 

“I have my answer then,” Belle says, walking away. 

“Belle - ” 

Whatever Gold is about to say is lost in a rush of activity, people in green jumpsuits and pointy hats (their faces obscured by slightly freakish Robin Hood masks), yell at them to get into the main part of the Mint. 

///

Emma looks straight ahead - once she’s through the scanner she will be able to breathe. Mal offers her a smile that she thinks is supposed to comfort her, but it actually just makes her more nervous. 

The first few minutes are chaos. People are screaming and running everywhere, there is no order or structure. Everything feels out of control. 

They can’t find the girl, Elsa. She’s the daughter of a Norwegian diplomat, and one of the main assets in the heist. She has to be in here somewhere. They’ll get the doors shut, round them up, and then search for her. 

A few hectic minutes later, Emma begins the search, rapidly running out of patience.

/// T/W -SH/SA

Elsa knows that Hans likes her and doesn’t care about her title. He doesn’t think she’s abrasive or frosty. He thinks she’s gorgeous, and lavishes her with attention. 

She likes that, the smiles, the flirting, but this, this is too much too soon. She doesn’t want to have sex with him here, in a toilet cubicle. 

He unbuttons her shirt and she freezes. She feels like she can't breathe. 

Hans smirks salaciously, and Elsa begins to feel like this was a big mistake. 

He begins to pull down the straps from her bra and she pushes him off. She needs to get out of here, away from him. 

That’s when she notices his phone - the bastard. 

He’s posing, smiling as he takes a picture of her breasts. She begs him to delete it, but he just smiles, refusing to do it. He thinks he’ll keep it as a memento. Fucker. She knows he won’t just keep it as some sick keepsake, knows that the image will be all over social media within an hour. Everyone will have an opinion on her and her breasts, and he’ll be the bad boy that ‘corrupted’ the princess while not having to face any of the consequences. 

That’s when Elsa hears footsteps. 

///

Emma rolls her eyes. Teenagers, but then she hears the girl screech. She’ll kill him if he’s hurt her. She knows that violence is supposed to be used as a last resort, but if he’s hurt her, she’ll hurt him. She kicks open the door and Elsa looks scared, the smirk on whoever her scumbag friend is quickly disappears and she hauls them both up to take them to the other hostages. 

///

What Emma sees can be summed up in a word: carnage. They’re not in control, the hostages are (understandably) scared and screaming. Will is letting the power get to him already. They all need to sort their shit out and quickly, so before the police start organising their response. 

///

Regina loves days like this, when she can spend some quality time with Henry. 

Her little prince is growing up way too quickly, and after the past couple of years they’ve had, she enjoys these moments even more and has learned not to take them for granted. 

Currently, Henry is reading a comic - The Hulk she thinks. She sees him squint as he concentrates, and barely conceals her laughter when he turns and shows her his super strong “muscles”. 

“Mama, can I ask you something?” he says, eyebrows furrowing. 

“Of course, mi hijo.” 

“Where’s Papa?” he asks. 

Regina feels her whole body slump. Henry is a curious boy and it’s been over three weeks since he last saw his father. He’s away at work is an excuse he’s not going to buy for much longer. 

She settles down and strokes his mop of brown hair (she needs to book him a hair appointment) as she thinks of how she can tell her son he’s probably not going to see his papa for a long time. 

“You can’t see your papa right now Henry. I know you miss him, but it’s so Mama knows you're safe. Papa was not very nice to Mama and now we have lots of important grown up meetings to sort everything out before you can see him again, okay? He loves you very much.” 

The very important meetings are court dates to decide if she gets to keep custody of her own son, or if she’ll have to split it or worse - lose all custody to that manipulative, abusive bastard she was once forced to be with. 

Henry nods and goes back to being invested in his comic. Regina is grateful that he’s still just a kid - she knows that he probably knows more than she would like, but he doesn’t push - not yet. He just accepts that there are grown up things that happened that he doesn’t need to know yet. 

Her bubbling anger at Leo and her mess of a life is interrupted by the phone ringing. She knows before she even looks at the number that it’s work. 

It’s Sidney, calling to tell her there’s a hostage situation at the Royal Mint, fuck. She hangs up, promising that she’ll be there as soon as she can. It’ll take her a good two hours to get from London to Cardiff. She’s never understood why the Royal Mint is in Wales. That’s something she decides to ponder as she grabs a coffee and a cereal bar. 

She hugs Henry tightly, kissing him on his forehead. He hugs her back, but her heart still clenches, the look in Henry’s eyes is one that’s too familiar. He’s used to her leaving, and that breaks her heart. 

Before she does something rash, she grabs her keys and hurries out the door, promising to herself that this will be her last case.


	2. The phone call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions continue to rise, will the heist be over before it truly begins? Robin and Regina have a conversation …

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again thank you to suseagull04 for being my beta for this chapter! 
> 
> This chapter marks my final entry for Prompt Party 2020 and covers the prompts 230 Robin says Fuck the Police .   
> 129\. She’s not answering.
> 
> Enjoy!

Fuck. Fuckity fuck fuck. Bugger. Balls. There are bullets flying everywhere, both theirs and the pushback from the police. It’s a disaster. A police officer drops to the floor, wounded. Fuck. Fuck this plan. Fuck the Police. 

The police are gaining ground, and if things don’t change soon, then this plan will go up in smoke. 

Robin paces the floor of his hideout, trying to remember how to breathe. Maybe this was a bad idea. He may be able to shut off his emotions, but others, it seems, can’t.   
It’s a pressure cooker already and it’s about to burst. 

It’s then that he notices Will sauntering down the stairs. He trusts Will, but the others are wary of him. They think he knows too much, that he doesn’t care. He does. On both counts - Will knows the plan as well as Robin does (they’re doing this for their father after all), but the others don’t know that, can’t know that, lest they risk mutiny. 

///

Will, for all his arrogance, does seem to have an instant effect, at least among the hostages. They’re scared, which is not ideal. They need the hostages to at least appear to be on their side, but if it means there’s a semblance of control, then they’ll have to take it for now. 

Making sure the secure, private, connection to Robin is operational and resigned to Will’s leadership (at least for now), the switch to analogue and a communication blackout with the outside world begins. Robin swears (not for the first time) that time stops as the scramble to switch from digital to analogue unfolds. 

After a few terse words and a brief moment of defiance, they all drop their digital comms into the fish tank. From now on, they’re on their own. 

/// 

Regina hurries into the hub and is trying to take in a million details at once. Even as she drove over here things changed rapidly. Unsurprisingly, the press are already swarming, and a thousand theories are swirling around the internet. 

It’s Sidney that briefs her, at least he’s one of the more meticulous inspectors. Two cops are injured, one is in a serious but stable condition, the other has minor injuries. Communication is down in the bank. They have a number of hostages, including a high priority person. They have no reason to believe that any of the hostages or perpetrators are hurt as of yet. The motives for the heist are as yet unclear. 

Regina thanks him and instructs him and a sub team to find out as much as they can about the civilians in the bank. They need to inform their families of the situation and quickly, before they go straight to the press and turn this into even more of a disaster. 

The shrill ring of the phone is like a foghorn on a stormy night. It makes everyone in the tent (their makeshift hub) stop for a second before there is a frantic rush to answer it and link up the various tracing technology. 

It can only be someone related to the heist, a check of their system substantiates this. Although as suspected the phone system is bouncing off various towers and failing to give them a location. 

Regina tucks her hair behind her ear, a nervous tick she’s had since she was a child. She takes a deep breath, ensuring that she is where she needs to be. She also can’t help feeling that this is all part of the plan. A distraction. The truth is that they’re at a loss and already on the backfoot. They need to take control of this call and find out as much as possible. 

///

Robin fiddles with a piece of paper. Origami has always helped him focus his brain and given him something to focus on other than the million thoughts racing around in his brain. The truth is that he’s good at the planning, the organisation - can do that down to the most miniscule detail. Then he has always been a bit of a recluse. He’s charming enough, inherited his mother's bright blue eyes and his father’s dimples, so he’s not unattractive. He just isn’t so good at talking to people. 

Things are already going wrong, so this phone call has to work. He has to build up a rapport.He has to get the police to trust him. 

He’s heard of Regina Mills and knew she would probably be the one to front the case. She’s good. Incredibly good. She has a reputation for being evil- not that he believes it, she’s just meticulous. She will drive a hard bargain, and suffers no fools. If he’s being honest, she is the only reason he’s worried about the police. The rest of the unit The officers in the unit are known for rushing, making rash decisions and for only looking out for their best interests and what will save their reputation. Regina won’t. 

The phone continues to ring and for a few, very tense, seconds he doesn’t think she’s going to answer. 

The more worrying thing is that he seems so upset by that fact. He has no need to be. 

Regina picks up the phone. 

///

“Hello milady” the voice is distorted, not that she’s surprised. 

“I’d prefer your majesty,” she replies. She’s not one for monikers, but she senses that this heist is much like a game of chess, so she’s damn well going to be the Queen. 

Robin resists the urge to laugh. This detective is certainly different from others he’d encountered. Maybe in another realm he'd be the rebel king to her Evil Queen. “Very well, your majesty. How are your colleagues?” 

So that’s the reason for his call: to check if he and his team are murderers as well as thieves. “A few injuries, but nothing life threatening or limiting.” 

Robin lets out a sigh of relief. “I’m glad, truly. Our intention was never to hurt anyone” 

Regina doesn’t believe that, but even with the hideous metallic voice changer, she can sense that he’s telling the truth. 

“Now I hardly doubt that you rang just to check on the welfare of the police officers you shot. So what do you want?” 

She can tell the other person on the end of the phone is smiling. “It was a concern, but no, it was not the main reason for my call. Before we move onto that, your majesty, what are you wearing?” 

Regina nearly spits out the sip of water she’d taken. The cheek of this man, this thief! She is now more sure than ever that his “charm” is meant to disarm her, but she won’t let it. She’s a woman working in a man’s world, so she’s used to the looks, the leers, the taunts. The fact still remains that it’s been a long time since someone (other than her father and Henry) even remotely cared about what she was wearing so there’s an unfamiliar flutter in her stomach. 

“Excuse me, thief? I’m not here to play games or make polite (or rather impolite) conversation or to chit chat about the weather. We both have more pressing concerns, so if this isn’t going to go anywhere, then I’ll bid you farewell and get back to thwarting your ridiculous plan.” 

It’s probably too emotionally charged, but she doesn’t like feeling out of control, and she does. She also really misses Henry. After this case, she’s going to get away - move to a town no one’s heard of in Maine or something. 

Robin smiles. She is a formidable opponent and he thinks she’s also enjoying this “game” more than she would ever like to admit. 

“I take your point, your majesty, but don’t you think that our clothes reveal a lot about our personalities?” 

Regina scoffs - she supposes he’s right, to a degree, but she feels judging someone on their clothes is much like judging a book by it’s cover. She is now imagining what he could be wearing. She imagines that he looks much like a professor at a prestigious university. She also imagines that he is the kind of man with dimples and a cheeky smile, confident but not cocky. 

“I agree, thief, but we barely know each other, and I hardly think what I’m wearing is anyone’s top priority right now.” 

“You can call me The Outlaw.” 

Of course he’d choose that alias “A regular Robin Hood, are we?” 

He knows it’s a joke, another one of her sarcastic quips, but it hits a bit too close for comfort. She’s right, this isn’t a game and he needs to remember that. He can’t let her know how close she is to at least partially revealing his identity. 

“Something like that.” 

“What does that make me - the Evil Queen?” she asks. He took longer to reply when she asked about Robin Hood - surely the heist can’t be linked to folklore or fairy tales?

“Evil, no, bold and audacious, maybe, but not evil.” 

“You don’t want to cross me, though I suppose it’s too late for that. While this has been a very touching conversation so far, what do you want?” 

“Time.”

Regina is incredulous. Of course he wants more time, he’s committing one of the biggest heists in history. There is never enough time, not for anyone. However, the more time they are in there, the more likely they are to screw up, the more time she has to formulate a plan. 

“We want this to end peacefully without anyone else getting hurt, but as you've seen we are perfectly prepared to defend ourselves. Can I trust you?” 

She should be the one asking him that, but he’s somehow got the upper hand again. “Absolutely, but I’m going to need something from you. A gesture of mutual trust. Release the school children. They’re minors, they don’t need to be caught up in this.” 

“You can trust me, I may be a thief, but I’m a man of honour, I’ve lived by a code every day of my life, and will continue to do so.” 

Regina doesn’t believe him. “Who knew a thief had honour?” 

“Quite. Now there is one thing before I take time to consider your request.” 

“Which is?” she asks, curious.

“You still haven’t told me what you’re wearing.” Robin knows he's pushing his luck, but he can’t help it. 

Regina laughs. If he wants to play this game, so be it. 

“A red keyhole dress, which highlights all my best features, if I do say so myself. A black blazer and some heels complete the look. Is that enough detail for you?” she smirks. 

Robin has to stop himself from groaning. It’s not enough, not really, but he knows it’s all he’s ever going to get. He will leave the rest up to his imagination. The purpose of this phone call was to distract the police. He ended the call, promising to consider her request that the hostages are released. The thought of her in that dress had distracted him though. Fuck the police. He’d quite like to peel off a certain red dress from one police officer in particular. He’d take it slow, tease her mercilessly, have her begging for more. Fuck,he needs to focus, and not on how he’d screw the person most likely to throw his arse in jail for the rest of his life. 

The phone call ends, and for a moment everyone in the tent remains silent. 

All eyes are on her, and she hates it. 

She’s frustrated with herself. That conversation revealed nothing, apart from the man they’re dealing with is confident. Usually that would offer Regina some hope - confidence equals mistakes. But, the one thing she did learn from the call is that the man, the Outlaw, does not make mistakes. He knows what he’s doing. He’s calm, in control. He’s considering releasing the hostages and that’s the best she could have hoped for, really. If he does have any honour, she thinks he will release them. He won’t want children to get hurt. 

It’s then that she hears Midas whisper slut. She can and will take criticism for her work - it’s part of the job. She will deal with his backstabbing and ignore the rumours he’s been spreading on behalf of Leopold. She will not be undermined or humiliated in front of all of their colleagues because he’s a jealous, power hungry leech. 

“Midas, I fail to see how calling me a slut is in any way helpful for trying to work out their plan, but seeing as you feel the need to insult me, then let’s discuss it. I find it funny how I am a slut for merely telling a man what I’m wearing. A question he asked. Funny how you don’t seem to have an issue with that. I answered because we are on the back foot and we need him to trust us - it’s the only chance we have to try and get ahead. This man is clever - we need him to believe we’re on his side and not his enemy. If I have to tell him what I’m wearing so he can live out some weird fucked-up fantasy, then that’s what I’ll do. It does not make me a slut. So unless there is anything you want to say that is actually useful, shut the fuck up.” 

“You act so high and mighty Regina, but you are a slut and not because you answered the question. That makes you weird, but the fact that you enjoyed answering it. You’ve always loved the attention, no matter who it comes from, especially when it’s not your husband. Leo will win, and then you’ll get what’s coming to you.” 

She knows she has to rise above it, but God help her,one day she is going to hit that man so hard he won’t know what happened. 

It’s Sidney that speaks first; apparently today is shit on Regina day. “Was that wise, Regina?”

“No Sidney, it probably wasn’t wise, but this case is difficult enough without pathetic playground politics, so can we please ignore that poor excuse of a man and build a picture of what we know so far? That way we can formulate what we need to do next.” 

She sounds more desperate than she would like, but Sidney agrees. She’s not sure if it’s her words or the fact that Sidney has a crush on her, but she doesn’t care. 

She begins to build a picture of the thief, one that is not wholly appropriate, before admonishing herself and focusing on the task in hand. 

He’s methodical - this is not a run of the mill robbery. Cash machines and online scams are much easier ways of accumulating large sums of money. He has a plan, a meticulous one, one that required a lot of time to formulate. His weakness is his team. They seem more volatile, more scared. If she had to guess, she would say he is controlling it from somewhere else, in relative safety even if this all goes south. They need to create a crack, a crack in the wall, that widens until the whole thing comes tumbling down. It’s the motive behind the heist that Regina is still struggling to work out. It’s not money. Nor is it necessarily about the hostages. A smoke screen, a layer of protection. Why lay siege to the Royal Mint? Is the question that she needs to figure out the answer, to and fast. 

She sees Midas return, this time smiling. She’s not sure why, and then she hears a commotion outside the tent. 

Hundreds of specially trained police officers surround the Mint, ready to storm it. 

Regina is seething. She’s the lead detective and Midas had blatantly ignored her orders. If they go in now, they’re setting themselves up for a colossal failure. 

She knows how this works: they storm the Mint, someone gets hurt - either a hostage or a police officer. The Outlaw leaks a recording to the press - detailing how he was prepared to consider releasing the hostages in exchange for more time, but the police ignored that - someone gets hurt, or worse dies. Regina is the villain and he’s the hero. 

She’s not letting this fall on her, and goes to tell Midas such. 

She’s stopped by Sidney and someone somewhere, probably Leo, is testing her today. 

“Regina, don’t, he’s not worth it. The orders have come from higher up.” 

“Leo,” she says, hating the tremble in her voice. 

Sidney gives her a look that she’s sure is supposed to be sympathetic, but instead is creepy. “No, the Prime Minister” 

Regina balks. This case was already tough enough - with the government involved she knows she’s fucked, especially with that buffoon in charge. He doesn’t give a shit about the people or who he has to throw under the bus - it sure as hell won’t be his advisors. He just cares about optics and that they look good for him. 

“Why is he involved?” 

“Elsa, the diplomat’s daughter. Her parents know she’s in there and it’s in the press.” 

“Shit.” 

Sidney nods and Regina whispers, to herself, “Let’s hope they bring her and the rest of the hostages out alive.” 

Just as the police are about to storm the building, the phone rings again. This time it’s from inside the bank - Elsa’s phone. 

This can’t be good. 

“Hello.” It’s Elsa, who’s trying her best not to sound like the scared young woman she is. 

“Hello, it’s Detective Mills, lead on the case.” 

“We are all dressed the same, the hostages and the perpetrators - there is no way to tell us apart. If you storm the Mint, then people will get hurt.” 

Before Regina can ask anything more, the line is cut off. 

The silence is deafening and the mood in the tent sour. The officers reluctantly lower the weapons and retreat. The battle has been lost before it’s even begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all those that have,read, reviewed and left kudos on this fic so far as well as all my other entries this week. It's really helped me get my love of writing back. 
> 
> Please do let me know what you thought of this chapter and if there's anything you'd like to see in this verse (I can't promise it'll happen or happen quickly but I'll certainly try my best). 
> 
> The next chapter will be up in September!


	3. Satisfied

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Regina meet and begin to get to know each other. Things inside the Mint are hotting up and tensions continue to rise all around

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Morgan (@suseagul04) for being my beta - you're the best. All remaining mistakes are mine. 
> 
> This is the longest chapter I've ever written and I actually like it - must be a miracle. 
> 
> Happy reading

Regina needs to get out of here. She can’t because there is an ongoing hostage crisis, a heist and in addition to that, everyone is looking at her. It doesn’t matter that less than an hour ago they were all too busy debating whether or not she was a slut for telling a stranger what she was wearing; it’s all gone to shit now, so they need her to fix it. She will, there is no other option - Regina Mills  _ does not  _ lose. This is just a setback. She can’t think in this tent, it’s too loud, too many people. Five minutes, that’s all she needs. Five minutes to get a cup of coffee (she might make it an Irish one - just to take the edge off) and to ring Henry. She needs to hear his voice, she’s pretty sure it’s the only thing that can ground her right now.

She hurries out, not quite storming away- the world media is watching this like a hawk, but catches Sidney’s eye on the way out. His smile is one that would be comforting if it wasn’t Sidney. Still, he’ll vouch for her, cover if needed, and at that moment that’s what she needs. She’ll deal with his puppy dog eyes and desperate attempts for something more than being friends later. Regina’s pretty sure friends are even a bit of a stretch to describe their relationship. She likes Sidney well enough, he’s dedicated and thorough - which makes her, their, job easier. He’s sweet, in a way that is sometimes overbearing. He is one of the few people that haven’t completely turned away from her after the whole Leo fiasco so she likes him yes. As a colleague. She just doesn’t see him as more than that, they’re different people, that don’t really have anything in common aside from their job. Sidney collects antiques (old mirrors to be precise), and stamps. He’s a bit of a hoarder. Regina appreciates old things, some antique furniture maybe, but she prefers newer things, more sleek. She hates mess. So despite the fact that Sidney has hinted on more than one occasion about the possibility of a ‘friendly dinner’ she’s always managed to make some excuse. 

Regina opens the door and hears the little bell above her head, it really is like stepping back in time. She half expects the few people that frequent the cafe to look at her but they don’t and she’s glad. The last thing she needs is a member of the public (or worse, a reporter) cornering her here. She asks the elderly but spritely lady, whom she assumes is Granny, for a coffee. Not Irish - though she’s tempted, she can’t drink on the job. Granny nods, telling her to take a seat and she’ll bring it over. 

Not wanting to move, and lacking the energy even if she did, Regina sits at the bar. She pulls out her phone to ring home and lets out an almost silent  _ shit  _ when she realises the battery is dead. She doesn’t have a charger, she’d left it at home in the rush to get here. Why did no one ever warn her there’d be days like this?

///

Robin has been sitting there watching, desperately trying not to stare. He knew that Regina or one of her team would have to have a break at some point and Granny’s was the nearest cafe. He also needed to take a break sometimes; if he had to keep watching the screen every single second, he was going to go crazy. Sitting there, trying not to grimace at his (now cold)coffee, he realised three fundamental truths at the exact same time; 

  1. He was the leader whether he was inside the Mint or not, and he was doing a piss-poor job of it really.
  2. In his quest to honour his father’s legacy, he had disregarded the true human impact this heist could have. It was never just about the money or fame, it was about highlighting the system. Revolution costs lives. 
  3. He was never going to be satisfied. Regina looked stunning, even as her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. She was also the lead detective. His enemy. No personal relationships was his cardinal rule, so getting involved with Regina was an absolutely ludicrous idea, one that would only leave them at best, broken-hearted, at worst - locked up. 



Despite all of that, Robin is a gentleman and there is nothing wrong with offering her a charger. He’s just helping her out and being an upstanding citizen.

/// 

Regina is ashamed to admit she doesn’t notice him approach, too caught up on trying (and failing) to not have a breakdown over a charger. 

He is unfairly gorgeous. His eyes are a piercing blue, offset by his dimples and his cheeky smile. 

He’s speaking, offering her something - a charger, she realises. For the first time in what feels like forever, something, whether it be fate or a god (she doesn’t care which) has intervened and it feels like something is going right. She thanks him, apologising for being so spaced out. 

He waves her off, anything to help. 

///

She plugs the charger in and sets her phone down for a minute. She doesn’t really know what to say to him, other than thank you - again. She talks about the weather because it’s the go to conversation for Brits everywhere and she can’t very well ask if she can get him anything to drink - they’re in a cafe. It’s grey - and colder than it should be for July, He agrees, but they’d had an exceptionally hot March and would probably get an Indian summer. They talk about climate change for a few minutes and their (the world’s) impending lack of a future. Though it’s token conversation, it’s nice and easy, hardly uplifting but still, uncomplicated - the total opposite of her life. She realises that this is the first adult conversation she’s had outside of work, her lawyer, or her family in weeks. Tink, her best friend since college, was right: she needs to get out more. 

Loathe as she is to cut short this menial but pleasant conversation, she  _ does _ need to ring Henry and get back to work. 

She gestures to the phone and hands the charger back - she could have said thank you (for the hundredth time) and that she needed to make a phone call. Instead, she’s flapping about like a headless chicken in front of this unfairly attractive man. Great job, Regina. 

She moves to the corner of the cafe - it’s not really more discrete, but she is not about to make a fool of herself again, so she whispers (badly) into the phone to Henry

_ Mijo,  _

_ Lo siento, mamá estará en casa pronto. Estoy muy ocupada en el trabajo. Sí, estoy segura y estaré en casa esta noche. _

_ Te amo, mi principito _

_ (English Translation: My son, I’m sorry, Mum will be home soon. I’m very busy at work. Yes, I'm safe and I’ll be home tonight. I love you, my little prince) _

_ /// _

Robin hadn’t meant to engage in conversation. He just wanted to give her the phone charger, insist it wasn’t a problem, and let her make the calls she obviously needed to make. They had only talked about the weather, a menial conversation at best, except it wasn’t - not really. It wasn’t just polite conversation. In short: his plan was doomed. 

If he tries to listen to her conversation, it is to try and salvage the mess he has made, and not because he wants to know everything about her. He has no such luck - not really. She was speaking in Spanish - which wasn’t fair to his libido. The only thing he gleaned was that she has a son. 

She hangs up and she looks haggard, clearly missing her son. Still, she shakes it off and smiles. It’s fake and doesn’t quite reach her eyes, but it would be enough to fool many people. 

Her lingering sadness is replaced with anger and frustration as the news channel switches to coverage from the heist - it’s her from earlier giving a press conference that explains the situation. Robin had already seen it, curious to see how the police would explain their blunder if they admitted to it at all (they didn’t). Instead, Regina had insisted they were doing all they could and that it was a delicate and complex operation. She confirmed the number of hostages, that none of them were hurt and the police officers injured would make a full recovery. The only time she looked hostile was when one reporter from  _ The Sun _ asked if one of the hostages was a high priority person. 

Regina had responded by saying that, “All the hostages in the Mint are of the highest priority. We are working to ensure that they all come out safely and as quickly as possible. In order to do that, we need full cooperation from the media, and respect that families are left to process the news on their own terms. We do not wish to release the names of the hostages at this time, as this could hinder negotiation efforts.” 

///

Regina sighs - she needs to be getting back, it’s not long before she will be expected to provide another statement to the press - not that there is anything to say. That’s the part of the job she hates - talking to reporters who care more about what’s going to sell than the truth and having to pretend like she’s happy with decisions she’s had no say in. 

“It must be hard,” he says.

Regina blinks - she’d semi-forgotten about him. Why was he still here, anyway? 

///

Robin thinks for a moment that he’s offended her or given too much away. “I’m sorry, I’m just curious. It seems intense and like it’s a lot of pressure for just one person - especially in a case like this.” 

With a heavy sigh, she answers. “It is hard sometimes, but you can’t think about what’s at stake, otherwise you’ve already lost. Everyone has a weakness, it’s just finding it. Once you have the weakness, the rest follows.” 

Robin nods.It’s true, and not for the first time, he’s worried. He knew Regina Mills would be assigned to this case, knew she was the best detective and negotiator in this country, but he didn’t expect to find himself so enthralled by her.

Regina, suddenly shy, mutters something about needing to get back to it. 

He says he understands and that he doesn’t want to keep her. “It was a pleasure meeting you, good luck.” 

///

Regina smiles to herself as she gets up to leave, feeling a lot lighter than when she entered. 

There’s something about this guy though, a sense of deja vu that she can’t quite place. Just as she reaches the door, she turns and asks, “Have we met before?” 

Robin takes a deep breath, reminding himself that she can’t know who he is. If she did, he’d already be in handcuffs. “I doubt I’d ever forget meeting you”. 

  
  
  


///

Inside the Mint, things have settled into an uneasy rhythm. The hostages are divided into teams, each with a task to do, whether that is handing out food and water, cleaning up the mess of yesterday’s carnage, or helping to print the money. They’re scared (it's impossible not to be), but none of them have been hurt - yet. Some of the more senior members of the Mint have cottoned on to the real plan - not just stealing the money that’s there, but printing more money. 

///

Mal has been placed in charge of reaching maximum printing capacity. She has a head for numbers and despite the earlier tensions, she finds herself smiling; their loot is growing bigger and bigger by the minute. The hostages that make up her team don’t say much. She’d seen a couple whispering and not so gently reminded them that dissent wouldn’t be in their best interests. 

She knows what the Outlaw says and understands his reasoning. Getting out with no one getting hurt and the hostages unharmed is the ideal scenario, but she’s been in this game long enough to know that the chances of that happening are slim. She’s not going to die if she can help it. 

For now though, her main priority is making sure they keep this speed up. This is the (relatively) easy part, the hostages are still motivated by either fear or hope. She doesn’t give a shit which. 

///

The police threatening to storm the Mint was predicted by the professor, but it still puts them in an awkward position. The public and press may be more interested in the authorities' failings than whatever they’re doing inside the bank. The fact remains that they still have many hostages and they need to get the public to remain on their side. 

One of the hostages needs to make a speech. 

They bicker among themselves about who it should be. It needs to be people will know and instantly recognise, otherwise no one will care. It needs to be someone who will do as they’re told, not crack and reassure the public that all is going well. 

They reluctantly agree on Belle. Emma and Mal, who never agree on much, both agree that she’ll give away too much. She wears her emotions on her sleeve. They’re overruled, partly because both Will and Killian seem to have a crush on her. 

Belle looks nervous when they approach. 

She looks as if she’s about to protest, but she doesn’t. 

Opening the doors to the Mint is risky; the police have defied orders before. It could end in a bloodbath. They have to believe it won’t. 

They pull their masks down and make their way slowly out to the entrance of the Mint. 

For a moment time stops and there is silence. 

///

Graham sees this as a unique opportunity, Sidney (in charge due to Regina’s supposedly brief absence) disagrees - they have to wait. It’s an opportunity, yes, but not to shoot; to gain information. 

Belle confirms what they largely already know: there are sixty seven hostages, all in good health. They regret harming the policeman. The hostages and the thieves are wearing the same clothing, any attempt to attack will result in harming innocent victims. 

As they walk back up the steps to the Mint, Sidney knows it’s their last chance, but it’s not wise, especially with the TV cameras rolling. There’s no way they can win this - they lose either way. They have to try. 

It’s then that he hears Regina’s voice. “No one shoots, do you hear me? No one shoots.” 

The sigh and the disgruntled comments are audible, but she doesn't care. This is already bad enough, but it seems like she will not risk turning this into a massacre. 

///

Night falls and Regina is loathe to leave, especially because every time she turns away, it seems like the rest of her team are determined to make this a war. She needs to sleep. She needs to see her son. She needs to feel normal, and she’ll have her phone next to her bed if she does need to make the journey again. 

The traffic has long since gone and the drive back to her home is mercifully quick. She almost collapses as soon as she opens her front door, but she doesn’t. She sees a note that her father wrote, so she checks to make sure it isn’t something important. It isn’t, but it does make her smile. 

_ My dear,  _

_ I know you don’t like it when Henry sleeps in your bed, but he was beginning to fall asleep and I couldn’t say no.  _

_ Papa _

It’s not that she dislikes Henry sleeping in her bed, just that he’s getting too old, and her father needs to resist his every whim a little more. Tonight though, the thought of hugging Henry tight. Watching the way he sleeps so soundly, always with a smile on his face, is the tonic she needs. 

Morning comes far too quickly, but she feels better after a few hours of proper sleep and being with her family. 

Henry is an early riser like her, but 5 am is a little too early even for him. Still, he stirs as she leaves the room and whispers, “I love you, Mama.” She whispers that she loves him back and heads out the door, praying for some kind of breakthrough today. 

///

This morning in the Mint is a busy one. The reality that they may be here for a long time is slowly dawning on the hostages and the gang cannot allow that to happen. They need to keep them busy, not just so they can help execute their plan, but because if they’re left doing nothing, they talk. People forget that the initial spark of a revolution doesn’t often come from the barrel of a gun, but by someone daring to speak the words everyone else is thinking, but too scared to say. 

They pick out some of the hostages, the stronger ones and the ones they are most worried about, to start digging. While everyone is looking at the front door, they will (in time) leave out the back. 

///

Bae can’t help but feel that the others don’t trust him, that he’s up here with a handful of hostages because they don’t think he can hack it. He can. He’s not just some computer whiz kid. 

He sees the girl, Elsa, the one that they need to keep safe - the one that’s their final lifeline, should they need it. 

She has something in her hand. He realises as he approaches that it’s her phone. 

He knows he needs to take it from her. If anyone finds out that she had it and he knew, he’s dead. He doesn’t though, not at first. She’s recording something - fuck. It’s a message to her mum. He can’t, won’t let her send it, but he’s here watching her and she’s just a scared little girl. 

He wants to reassure her, but he can’t. 

He doesn’t get the chance to try before he hears Emma’s voice:

“What’s going on here?” 

///

Emma doesn’t know what the fuck she is seeing but she doesn’t like it. Bae looks like he’s flirting and so help her God if she has to threaten another man for being inappropriate with the girl. That’s when she sees the phone, and she wonders if Bae has a death wish. 

///

Bae takes the phone and places it on the desk. He’ll destroy it later, after what he suspects is going to be an awful conversation. 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Emma asks (or rather, screams). 

“Why do you care? I’m just a kid, right?” he counters. 

Emma can’t believe she has to spell this out for him. That’s a lie, she can, but she’s not going to be happy about this. 

“This is not about us, Neal. It’s about the fact that you’re jeopardising this entire heist right now to try to make me jealous? Well, it’s not working, it’s just proving me right. You want people to stop treating you with kid gloves and trust you? Then follow the fucking rules.” 

“You were quite happy to break them back at camp. You were a little lost girl desperate for any attention you could get.” Bae sniggers.

Emma sighs because they are not doing this again. She’d known it was a bad idea to get involved with Bae and not just because of the no personal relationships rule (she’d never been one to follow rules anyway) but because he was too much like her. Too flighty. Too impulsive. Too starved for attention. It had been fun at first, sneaking out to make out and more and exchanging not so subtle glances across the table. If anyone noticed, they didn’t say anything. She’d ended it just before they left because Emma Swan does not fall in love. She can’t afford to. It always backfires - and ,well, she was right. 

Emma launches at him, knowing it makes her just as childish as him, but she doesn’t care. He needs to sit down and shut up. 

After a few seconds, she notices Elsa move towards her phone. 

She realises too late though, Elsa’s phone is pointing towards the wall of hostages. Shit. 

While Emma pushes Elsa out of the way, Bae grabs the phone, disconnecting it and smashing the screen. 

///

Back inside the hub, they are waiting for something, anything, when the screen lights up - it’s a phone from inside the heist. Elsa Arendelle. 

Not quite believing their luck, they keep everything crossed as they try to connect to the phone. A few very tense seconds later and they’re in. Switching to selfie mode, they can see Elsa’s face and just before the screen goes blank, they get a glimpse of a man. A man without a mask. They’ve got one of them. 

The first victory is always the sweetest. 

///

The whirring of the drills and the constant darkness are beginning to take their toll on Gold. He is not a man who likes being in the shadows. He has always been able to make a deal, to escape the worst. He doesn’t believe in karma (not really), but he does believe in retribution, and these fools are going to regret crossing him. 

He ignores the pathetic boy - Moe he thinks his name is (he doesn’t really care). He will not die here. 

///

Regina finally feels like she can breathe. The photo of one of the perpetrators is the first corner piece in the jigsaw. 

She’s glad now that her chief, Ursula, had rung her this morning on her way to work. She’d heard the news of yesterday's undermining of authority, and Regina could tell she was as annoyed as she was. Ursula reminded her that this was bigger than them, that she understood her frustrations and if Regina decides to quit after this then she’ll begrudgingly accept her resignation. She also reminded Regina that the men were adept at their jobs and could probably solve this case if they put the effort in, but Regina is the only one that she trusts to do it without violence. 

Her joy is short-lived. As soon as she steps out of the tent, cameras are flashing and microphones are shoved in her face. Is there a conflict between herself and Midas? What does she think of people holding signs saying “fuck the police?” 

She doesn’t answer them because it’s none of their business and because while she and Ursula look out for each other, she doesn’t think that Ursula would appreciate telling the press that she was tempted to hold a sign to say fuck the police last night. These people are angry, and rightfully so. For too long, too many people have been targeted and harassed, assumed guilty by the very people that are supposed to protect them. Are all cops arseholes? No. Do all cops work in a system where racism, unconscious bias, and misogyny are engrained? Yes, and that needs to change. 

She turns around and goes back to the tent, because while she would like to smash a camera or join one of the growing protests, she can’t. She needs to be the adult in this mess. 

She asks Midas for a quiet word, telling him that there’s a lot they can contribute if they work together. He has some good ideas, but if they’re going to be effective, they both need to be on the same page. The words taste like acid, but if it ends this ridiculous battle between them then it will be worth it. 

He smiles, smirks rather “I agree, Regina, we can make quite the team.” 

She hates him, but she can’t dwell on that now. She asks to look at the video again and as the team pulls it up she asks Sidney if they have a match yet. They don’t, but there’s a team working on it as they speak. 

The video loads, and this time they don’t focus on the faces, but the background. In the corner there’s a weapon but she doesn’t recognise it. Sidney does though. It’s a Russian weapon, Soviet grade. They may preach peace, but the thieves are equipped for war. 

“I want a team tracing any informants they have on the black market. See if they can find out where they got these weapons,” she demands to anyone who is listening. 

She’s done waiting. Last time the Outlaw made his move. Now it’s her turn. 

She picks up the phone, the one she knows he’s monitoring and presses dial back, she half expects it to ring out. 

It doesn’t. Instead he picks up almost immediately. 

“Do you not find this special connection peculiar?” 

She’s not doing this again. “What special connection?” 

“I was just about to call you.” 

He knows and she’s not surprised, not really. She is annoyed. 

“I’m not sure I believe you, but that doesn’t matter. We have more pressing issues to talk about.” 

“But milady, this felony shouldn’t get in the way of an opportunity to get to know each other.” 

“Thief, you may not care about someone’s past or if they’re in the middle of a crime, but I do. I’m a queen and a bit more refined.” 

“I think that if we were to meet at a tavern, you’d get to the door and turn away, and we’d never get the drink we both wanted”.

“I guess we’ll never know, will we?” She doubts it though. This man is annoying and is driving her insane, but he intrigues her a lot. 

“I guess...” 

Regina hopes that they can finally get onto the matter she rang to discuss, but The Outlaw has other ideas. 

“Tell me, Detective. Have you ever faked an orgasm?” 

Regina blushes, and suddenly being asked what she was wearing doesn’t seem so invasive. 

“No,” is the only thing she can say surrounded by her colleagues. It doesn’t stop her from thinking back to the endless nights where she’d lay there arching her back, panting slightly as Leo performed quite possibly the worst oral sex in the world. After a while she stopped being disappointed.Vibrators were invented for a reason, and faking it means the whole thing is over a lot quicker than it should be. 

“Don’t lie to me, detective.”

She sighs but decides that there shouldn’t be anything wrong with faking an orgasm. “Maybe I have, but you see, thief men are programmed to cum in as little time as possible. A few seconds, minutes if they really try. A short burst of pleasure. Women are built to endure the tension. The pleasure builds, rising like a wave, crashing into shore at the last minute. Sometimes those two facts of nature are not compatible, so occasionally women will fake an orgasm.” 

“So you lie. A white lie, yes, but a lie nonetheless. So I’ll say it again detective: don’t lie to me, because innocent people could get hurt.” 

Regina hardly thinks that lying about faking an orgasm to a stranger is the same as lying about information pertaining to a heist. It’s not about that. It’s about the fact that for a thief, this man values honesty. The dishonesty from them yesterday has cost them. This is the last warning they’re going to get. Neither of them wants this to end in violence, but it can, easily. 

“No more lies. So tell me, why were you about to ring?” 

There’s still a thick tension in the air before he answers, “We need food and several medical supplies.”

Regina makes a note of the requests and promises that they will be delivered in clear plastic bags by the end of the day. 

“Now it’s my turn. We have images from the inside, one of which identifies one of your Merry Men. Once we have one, we can soon identify all of you.” 

Robin doesn’t believe her, something which clearly she’s aware of. “You think I’m bluffing?” 

“Quite frankly, yes.” 

“Then as a gesture of our renewed promise of honesty, I will offer you this piece of information: you have sixty seven phones on the back wall of the bank manager's office stuck on with velcro with a name tag under each” 

“Fuck,” Robin mutters to himself. 

“I’m feeling generous though, so I’ll offer you a deal. If you surrender now then I’ll make a deal with the CPS and get your sentences reduced from sixteen to eight years. No one’s been hurt yet, it doesn’t need to get messy.” 

Robin goes to answer, but is cut off.

“You have one hour to consider my request,” Regina informs him, slamming the phone down. It’s the second minor victory of the day, despite the convoluted route to it. 

She’s still worried though. She can’t help but think that while the Outlaw may be worried now she believes that he still has a plan and that he’ll refuse her deal. 

///

Robin can’t help but think that the plan is unraveling fast. 

He can quit now, they’d proven their point and done what everyone assumed was impossible. This way, only their pride gets hurt. 

Eight years and with parole they could be out in six. It is tempting. 

They all went into this knowing the potential consequences. What kind of leader would he be if he bailed at the first sign of real trouble? 

Before he can decide either way, he needs to find out how the hell they got the image of the phones on the wall. 

He rings Will and when he does his voice is clipped. “They know where we keep the phones. ” 

Will’s face on the monitor visibly pales. It’s then that Robin realises just how much things are falling apart. 

“Find the phone,” Robin hisses. 

“We need to punish them, otherwise they’re going to keep playing heroes,” Will argues. 

“What kind of punishment?” he asks. 

“One that shows who is really in charge.” 

Robin hesitates because the last thing they can afford is a mutiny, but he will not use violence, he will not break that code. Not yet. 

“No, Will. Find the phone and make it clear that rules and boundaries must be adhered to. Do not hurt them.” 

///

Regina watches as the medical supplies are taken up the steps to the Mint. Her heart is pounding. She holds her breath. 

While she thinks the Outlaw is holding something back, she also trusts him. Or at least believes that he would rather play out with as little violence as possible. 

The exchange is quick but without mishaps, and a collective sigh is released. 

///

Gold follows his fellow hostages into the main hall. All of them being shepherded together either means they’re about to be released or there’s going to be trouble. From the looks on the gang’s faces, it seems it’s the latter. For a minute, he thinks they know about his plan - that the bear of a man had overheard him in the tunnel. 

He maneuvers himself so that he is sat next to Belle. If they’re going to die, he needs to be honest with her. 

///

Belle sees him approach and feels her heart drop. She can’t deal with this, with him,right now. 

///

She hears him whisper her name. She turns to him, faking a smile. 

“What?” 

“I love you, you do know that?” She doesn’t, not really. She had thought she did, but that was before they found out about the baby. 

“I thought I did,” she replies, whispering. The last thing she wants to do is attract their captors’ attention 

“I do, I love you and the baby. I’m sorry I was a jerk. I was just so scared.” 

She should be the scared one, but he loves her, and that’s what she’s wanted to hear for a long time. 

They both start laughing nervously. This whole situation is ridiculous. 

He looks like he has something to tell her, but he seems conflicted too. Sometimes she wishes she could read his mind - but that’s a dangerous wish to have. 

She doesn’t know what she expects him to say. Informing her he has a phone he’s hidden wouldn’t have been her first guess. 

Belle is aghast. She hears him mutter something about a phone before the leader, Will, comes marching in. 

///

“There’s always a hero. Someone who thinks they have a grand plan, that they are the white knight riding on a steed. Or perhaps they think they could make a deal or contact the police” 

There’s silence in the Mint. 

Will had promised not to hurt anyone, but he had never promised not to humiliate them. He begins ordering people to strip. 

///

The search of the databases has proved fruitful. They finally have a name: Neal Cassidy. 

He’s a computer systems expert. He was previously in jail for everything from larceny to fraud. 

Regina finally feels like they are getting somewhere. For the first time since this began, she feels like she could win. 

It’s impossible to study the systems in depth while committing the heist. Either he or one of his accomplices must have surveyed it beforehand. She orders her team to go back and look back at security footage of the Mint for the past few months to see if they can spot him or someone else potentially involved in the heist. 

Checking her watch, she realises that it’s 3 pm and she’s not eaten yet. She decides to go back to the cafe. She is not hoping that her handsome Good Samaritan is there. 

///

Robin had promised himself that he’d stay away. Stay away from Granny’s and stay away from  _ her.  _

He’ll miss the coffee; it’s the only place you can get a decent cup of coffee around here. In addition to that he’ll miss Granny. She doesn’t really say a lot, but what she does say is always a nugget of wisdom. 

So yes, he’d promised himself that he wouldn’t go, and definitely wouldn’t seek her out, but it hasn’t stopped him from thinking of her. Not just as the detective, and that’s the problem with her. He doesn’t seem to be able to be objective. He wants to know more about her. He wants to help her, though if he truly meant that he’d hand himself in. Call this whole thing off before anyone gets hurt. 

He’s been a fool for lesser things than love before. 

He doesn’t even know if she’ll be there. She could be in the tent, awaiting his decision or going home to visit her son. 

He also needs to know if there have been any further developments. If they have actually managed to trace the identity of one of them. It’s for that reason, and for that reason only, that he begins the short trip to Granny’s. 

///

Despite the progress made today, Regina wants nothing more than a quiet meal before returning for a few hours and hopefully getting to see Henry before he falls asleep tonight. 

Nothing in her life seems to go according to plan though and just as she’s about to tuck into her kale salad (with a side order of fries, because she’s hungry), she’s interrupted. 

“They don’t look like they’re moving.” 

It’s him, phone charger stranger. She really should have asked his name yesterday. 

She doesn’t want to talk to him (she does, but she hasn’t got time for anything else complicated in her life right now). She wants to eat her fries and go. 

She mutters, “Yes, they must be.” 

///

She had half hoped he would get the hint, she’s not known as the Evil Queen by some of her colleagues for nothing, but he’s still there, watching her eat. She can’t decide if it’s creepy or oddly endearing. 

He looks back toward the screen, and mutters something about them being desperate. 

Something isn’t ringing true with Regina - this guy is too curious now, more so than most members of the public. Still, she wants to trust him. 

“That’s what makes them so dangerous,” she says, humouring him. 

///

Robin would like nothing more than to leave talk of the heist and listen to what she has to say and to talk about trivial things, but he needs to know what she knows. What the police know. He can’t let whatever he is feeling get in the way. 

“They’ve said they won’t hurt the hostages.” 

He sees her roll her eyes, and doesn’t blame her. It’s a weak defence at best. 

“Why carry guns then?” she questions.

Robin takes her point - the use of weapons has always been a flashpoint for him. Will had said to him years ago, “You’re not going to rob the Royal Mint with bows and arrows, are you?” 

///

Regina laughs at that. For every other element the group has borrowed from the infamous tale of the Outlaw, it seems like bows and arrows and green tights didn’t make the cut. 

She needs to get back, and if she’s honest with herself, there’s still something not quite adding up. 

She is paying the bill as the phone rings. It’s Sidney. 

“We’ve got him. He was at the Mint three months ago” 

Regina breathes a sigh of relief, but she notices that the man has moved to the bar next to her. 

“Was he alone?” she asks. 

///

Robin tries to even out his breathing, they’ve found something else. 

If he stays, he looks suspicious - they aren’t friends. He needs to stay though because he needs to find out just how much they know. 

She hangs up and a message comes through on her phone. He tries to peer over without being seen. He’s unsuccessful. 

A second later and Regina is launching at him. Pulling at the lapels of his jacket. She’s searching for something, he just isn’t quite sure what. 

After a few minutes of frantic searching Robin discovers she was searching for a wire. Robin knows he shouldn’t be relieved, but coupled with the shock of just how strong Regina is, he is. 

Thinking that he is a reporter is a lot better than knowing the truth. 

Regina carries on searching him, becoming more and more frantic. “What network are you from? Where is the recorder?” 

Robin pleads with her, saying that he doesn’t know what she’s on about (probably the only honest thing he’s said to her) and that his name is Robin Locksley and he isn’t a reporter. She can check his wallet if she wishes. 

It’s only when Granny comes over - to vouch for Robin, that Regina calms down. 

///

She backs away, suddenly feeling very embarrassed. Why was she like this? Sure, this job makes you paranoid sometimes, but not everyone is out to get her. She doesn’t know what to say to this man, Robin, who has been nothing but nice to her. She grabs her coat, not meeting his eyes or anyone’s eyes, and makes her way out of Granny’s, wishing the floor would open and swallow her up. She has never been more mortified. 

///

Killian barely knows Belle. He knows her well enough to know that she deserves more than that creep: Gold. He has no right to be jealous, but he is. He sees the way that man treats her and undermines her. He’s the furthest thing from a saint, but it’s a woman’s choice what she wants to do with her body. He’d seen her clutching the invisible bump, rubbing her stomach, trying to keep calm. He hands her the pill in private and tells her that a child doesn’t ruin your life, that it can save it. 

He also tries to give her money. 

Belle refuses, angry. “Why are you offering me money and no one else? Is having a pregnant hostage too much for your conscience?” 

Truth be told, it is, but those are empty words, given the situation. 

He hides the money - he’ll put it back in the pile later. It’s clear that Belle doesn’t need or want his help. Not that he blames her. 

He sees Will, smirking. 

Will asks what’s going on. 

Belle whispers, “Nothing, I was just leaving” 

Will looks to Killian expectantly. 

“Some things should be done in private,” he replies. 

///

Belle takes her leave, suddenly feeling very awkward. 

She has just turned around when the phone chimes. 

She holds her breath. 

She feels a strong hand drag her back, it’s Will. It’s clear he doesn’t care about any rules. She’s trying to keep calm, to not show how scared she’s feeling. She feels the front of her jumpsuit tear open. Her legs are forced apart. She wants to cry out, but she knows that it will just make the whole situation worse. She hears the phone drop to the floor. She watches as Will grabs the phone and is helpless to stop him pushing her against the railings, as she collapses. She sees Killian’s face blanche .  She knows that her, and her baby’s fate is sealed. 

///

Emma sees Neal doubled over in pain - Will. She doesn’t give a shit how the outlaw and Will know each other, but they’d agreed to avoid violence and Will clearly didn’t care. 

She storms upstairs to the phone in the office (the only way to contact the Outlaw), shooting every camera on the way. 

She knows he’s watching and listening, so she makes him a promise. If someone gets hurt again, the next bullet will be for Will. 

//

Robin knows she’s not bluffing, but she has bigger things to worry about - the police know who she is, and Neal. 

Their names and faces are all over the news. 

Fuck. 

///

Silence. 

Silence often lasts seconds, but it feels like a lifetime. 

Silence is the moment before the chaos. 

Silence is where life flirts with death. 

Silence is never empty. It’s filled with the answers you don’t want to hear. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, please do let me know what you think as it really motivates me. 
> 
> I start back teaching soon, but updates will be at least monthly - subscribe to ensure you don't miss one.


	4. Spinning Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything begins to unravel both inside and outside the Mint. Friendships are formed and tested.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your patience while waiting for this chapter - I had hoped to post it last week but had things to do for work! 
> 
> More chaos and lots of character flashbacks.
> 
> T/W discussions of domestic abuse and assault, marked with *tw

Killian can’t do it. He doesn’t want to do it. He won’t do it. He will not shoot an innocent pregnant woman. 

He may be a thief, but he is not a murderer. 

Deep down he knows it makes little difference, Will has decided on her fate, nothing and no one will change that. 

He can’t let her die. 

///

There are moments when you think about your own mortality. Sometimes it’s a news story, where someone’s life has been cut tragically short. It could be when you’re passing a car accident, wondering  _ what happened? Are they alright? _ Or at a funeral surrounded by your loved ones, yet everything is punctuated by that one empty space. 

This is one of those moments, except for Belle it’s not a “what if?” It’s a fact. She is going to die. There are no white lights or pearly gates. There’s no tunnel that leads to nowhere and everywhere. Her life doesn’t flash before her eyes. In those few moments she is reminded of an old seafaring tale, one that made even the most hardened pirates quiver:  _ The Curse of the Black Spot _ . Depending on how much rum was consumed, the stories differ, but there's one thing that never changes. If you’re marked with the Black Spot, you’re marked with death. You can run, but it’s a fool’s errand. There’s no escaping your fate. 

He’s hesitating - she can see it in his eyes. It’s only then that half a plan pops into her head. Maybe together they can cheat death. She’s doubtful it will work, but she has nothing left to lose. 

She looks him in the eye with all her remaining strength and tells him to shoot her in the leg. The arm would be too obvious and wouldn’t produce enough blood. Anywhere else is too dangerous. 

He still doesn’t want to do it and tells her as much. She tells him that it’s this or they both die. 

Looking away, he pulls the trigger. 

“Motherfucker!” she whispers screaming would give away the ruse. She tries not to look at the blood pooling around her and to ignore the intense pain in her leg that’s spreading all over her body because she needs to move. 

///

The sound of the gunshot ricochets throughout the Mint. At that moment, everyone knows the game has changed. 

There’s a collective gasp, followed by hushed whispering. 

Mal doesn’t know what’s going on. In fact, she often feels like she's the last one to know anything. So much for sticking to the plan. Looking around at Emma and Neal, it’s clear that she’s not the only one who’s confused. They can’t let their fear show. 

She points her gun to the ceiling. She has no intention of using it, but the threat does the trick. 

The hushed murmurs stop and are replaced by a stony silence. She’s not sure which she finds more unnerving. 

In the corner of her eye she spots Will heading towards the bathroom. She should have known he had something to do with it. She glares at him, letting him know that this isn’t over. He simply smiles. 

///

Will can feel the targets on his back. He knows how unpopular he is here. He knows that everyone hates him. He knows that if they could, they’d kill him. They won’t because aside from Robin, he knows the plan the best. He’s also the scapegoat if this goes wrong. 

He doesn’t want to be the guy that everyone hates. Underneath it all, he’s just a guy that has been hurt too many times before. 

///

_ Will was seven when his mother died and when the world around him crumbled. Evelyn was always happy, always baking and always loving. No matter how many times he scuffed his knee or ruined another pair of new trainers, his mum never complained and was just happy to see him have fun. Then one day, her smile wasn’t quite as bright. She hugged him and kissed his forehead at the school gates and he smiled back, telling her “I love you.”  _

_ Something was different, he knew that much, but at six it’s hard to explain what’s wrong.  _

_ He’d acted out at school that day, shouting at teachers, not wanting to do work and being rude on the playground. The teachers asked him why he was angry, but he didn’t know. He just didn’t like change. That night, after making him promise to apologise to the teachers the next day, his mum sat him down for a talk.  _

_ “I’m sorry for scaring you, my boy,” she said gently, stroking his head. “Mama wasn’t feeling well this morning, but it’s nothing to be scared about. Mama wasn’t feeling well because she’s got a baby growing in her tummy.”  _

_ Will’s frown changed into a smile. “I’m going to be a big brother?” he asked excitedly.  _

_ “Yes, you are. You’ll be the best big brother,” his mum replied, smiling.  _

_ The next day he’d apologised to his teachers and his friends. He was going to be extra good from now on because he was going to be a big brother, and he wanted to be the best big brother in the whole world.  _

_ Nine months later and Will was so happy and excited to see his baby brother or sister, but there were lots of things the doctors needed to do to make sure the baby was healthy, so he had to wait for ages in a room before he could go in.  _

_ When he saw his daddy carrying the baby, he was so happy that he ran towards him. The baby was so small and wrapped up in lots of cosy blankets. His daddy didn’t look very happy though - he looked like he’d been crying. He had held the little baby’s ( Robin’s) hand and given him a little wave. He wanted to see Mama to show her that he was already being the best big brother. His daddy sat down next to him and said that Mama had got really sick while helping to give birth to the baby and the doctors were trying to help her.  _

_ Will didn’t know how long it was before the doctors came and told them that his mama was too sick and that they couldn’t make her better. He just remembers crying, thinking how unfair everything was.  _

_ /// _

He’d failed at being the bestest big brother in the whole world. He’d failed at a lot of things. He was not going to fail during this heist. Some of the others, including his own brother, were too idealistic, too hopeful, too naive. Sometimes people have to do things they really don’t want to do. 

He needed to make sure that Hook had completed his task. 

Upon entering the bathroom, he saw the pool of blood. He’d be lying if he said it didn’t make his stomach turn. Belle was there, unmoving. 

He looked to Hook and saw his face, white as a ghost. 

“Get rid of the body and make sure you clean up properly,” he ordered, his voice void of emotion. 

He wasn’t heartless, not really, but sentimentality gets you nowhere in this world. 

///

Another day, another phone call with the mysterious Outlaw. 

She can’t deny that these phone calls have become part of her routine, and one of the more pleasant parts at that. 

She briefly wonders what curveball he will throw during their conversation today. 

She doesn’t think he will surrender. He has too much pride. 

She’s unsurprised when he takes a little longer to answer. He is likely trying to buy as much time as possible. She’s also in control - at least for now - and she thinks that probably throws him off balance a little. So she waits. 

When he hears the line click, she smiles. His voice is more clipped than usual. Instead of his usual cheeky greeting he answers with a simple “Yes.”

“Time’s up. What’s your decision?” she asks. 

When he answers with another question (“What were your favourite games as a child?”), she’s not shocked. Annoyed, but not shocked. Knowing that this is part of his game and wanting his decision, she answers, “Skipping, horse riding and hockey (briefly).” 

She hears him chuckle, “I used to play Cops and Robbers.” 

It’s her turn to laugh now - of course he did. It was a popular game on the playground, but not one that many go on to pursue as a life choice or career. 

“I played that game a lot and I don’t remember ever giving up before I was caught,” she hears. 

She agrees, but a game on the playground is very different from his current predicament and she tells him as much: “Children on the playground are playing a game and aren’t facing a minimum of sixteen years in prison.”

She hears his hum down the phone. “I talked it through with my friends and partners and in the end we decided to be optimistic and go for no prison time.”

Regina doesn’t know if he is being brave or stupid, but she does know that she’s getting increasingly fed up thanks to his games. 

“There could be a lot of suffering,” she says, making a last-ditch attempt to appeal to his conscience. 

He is not moved - or at least he doesn’t appear to be. Instead, he demands a freight ship that was seized last year as part of an international drug raid. “You have to make a choice - go after us or save the hostages. You can’t do both. We get the ship, and we’ll be out on the sea in no time, and once we reach international waters, well we won’t be your problem anymore and the hostages will be unharmed and back with their families - a happy ending for all. I assure you the ocean isn’t my first choice. I’m much more of a forest man myself, but we must all make sacrifices, Detective.”

It will be impossible to clear and doesn’t guarantee a solution to any of their problems. 

Regina knows the Outlaw is bluffing. Over the course of their calls she’s not learned as much as she wanted, but she’s got better at reading him. With the voice alteration it’s difficult to detect changes in tone or inflection that so often indicate people’s emotions. Instead, she listens to what he says (people assume listening is easy but doing it well is a skill). His deflections are meant to trip her up, to make her self-conscious. 

He hadn’t done that today, though. His analogy to cops and robbers was simple - nowhere near as complex as the others. He’d not had as much time to think this conversation through. He was more hurried - not panicked, not quite, but definitely hurried. The other conversations he’d drawn out, but this one he hadn’t. The revelation that two of their identities were known had thrown him slightly - it clearly is not part of his meticulous plan. He’s clever though, and the conversation still hadn’t been a total washout for him. The boat was another distraction - an outlandish request to see how desperate the police and the government really are. She believes that he will release the hostages eventually, for the simple fact that if that wasn’t their intention, some of them would be dead by now or they’d have asked for ransom. 

That’s when she realises what his plan really is. They’re not robbing the Mint per se (that’s not new information - had been fairly obvious from day one,) but using it to their advantage. 

Everyone in the tent looks at her like she’s mad, but she knows she’s right. Certain things don’t add up. She’s got nothing to lose, so she shares with Midas - if she can get his support this will be easier. 

“If they were robbing the Mint, why drop two bags full of money in the street. That loot alone would suffice for criminals the world over. They opened fire at police, but didn’t deliberately shoot anyone. Their marksmanship is good, accurate. Shooting at windows and doors, close but not a direct hit, was also intentional. They pretended to be trapped to buy more time. Elsa was the high priority person, another intentional element. They knew having her as a hostage would bring in international pressure and the press early on.” It makes sense, they have their equation, but just not the answer to the question. If they aren’t trapped and their intention is not to rob the Mint , what is their plan? 

“They’re printing their own money” Regina whispers. 

It’s ludicrous, impossible - except that it’s not. 

///

It’s as he hangs up with the detective that he gets a call from an unknown number to his mobile. He answers - no one other than his contacts should have it. He lets it go to voicemail. It’s Regina’s father. He sounds panicked. 

He knows he needs to get the phone to Regina, and if he gets a look at her inner sanctum,that’s a bonus. 

He isn’t surprised that the police officer guarding the tent is hesitant to let him in. He half expects Regina to meet him here, but after a radio call, he’s not so gently guided to the tent. 

As soon as he enters, the tent is silent and everyone turns to stare at him. 

Regina looks momentarily embarrassed before he hands her the phone. 

“It’s your father, he couldn’t get hold of you; I think it’s about your boy.”

Regina grabs his phone and hurries out of the tent. He watches her and wishes he could follow, but that wouldn’t go over well. 

The conversation is being recorded. Sidney is trying to ensure that no one hears and the recording is turned off, but it’s too late. 

Leo, her ex, has her son. 

It takes a few minutes for them to realise he is still there before he’s ushered back out of the tent. 

He has more of an idea of how they work and who holds weight in the tent. Part of him feels genuinely guilty for using his trip to his advantage and really hopes her son is okay and unharmed.

///

She doesn’t want to know how many traffic violations she breaks on her way home, but she doesn’t care. Every possible scenario is running through her mind and not all of them are pleasant. She hates this, hates not knowing if her son is safe. Leo knows the rules. He doesn’t like them, but he knows them, and she hadn’t thought he’d be stupid enough to break them. 

As she enters the kitchen, she lets out a sigh of relief as she sees her father pottering around in the garden. At least he’s safe. 

“Hello papa.” she says, making sure not to startle him too much. 

“Mija, you’re home!” he replies affectionately before his voice breaks. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I forgot and Leo said it was his day, and Henry was so excited to see him and he said it was only for lunch. Then I checked the calendar and realised my mistake.”

Regina reminds herself to take slow, deep breaths. Henry will be fine. Leo won’t be stupid enough to hurt Henry. 

She turns away from her father, knowing it isn’t his fault, it’s hers for not realising how much his condition had deteriorated. Great, so she’s a terrible daughter as well as an awful mother. It’s still too hard to look at him now, with the panic rising up inside of her like a tidal wave, without getting angry. 

She hears the front door open. It’s them. 

Henry is alright. He’s happy and that’s the most important thing. 

When he sees her he drops his bags and runs towards her, open arms ready for a hug. 

She does the same, swooping in to hug him, tight. Her boy is back. He’s safe. She can breathe again. 

He begins to tell her all about his day - they went to the sea life centre and saw sharks and stingrays. She smiles as she listens because she wants Henry to be happy. She wants him to have good memories of his childhood. She doesn’t want him to resent her the way she resented her mother. 

///

_ Regina had spent the day hiding and crying. She was hiding because she couldn’t let her mother see her like this. She’d already been in a bad mood this morning, something to do with someone not doing as she’d asked, and she had taken it out on Regina. She’d forbidden her from playing with her favourite dolls; had even threatened to give them away.  _

_ “You’re too old for those,dear, ” she’d said.  _

_ Her father had intervened, reminding his wife that the dolls weren’t doing any harm. Cora had hummed and then resumed her complaining about the incompetence of whoever had dared wrong her.  _

_ She was crying because it hadn’t ended there. Not only had her mother threatened to throw away her favourite toys, but she’d told Regina she looked ugly, that the t-shirt and jeans did nothing for her figure. She’d look much better in a dress. Regina didn’t like dresses though, especially not the ones that were all puffy and frilly.  _

_ So in an act of defiance she had run down to the end of the garden that bordered the local stable and looked at all the horses.  _

_ Regina loved horses and wanted one of her own, but her mother had always refused. Instead, Regina had to settle and watch other people canter and trot around the paddock for as long as it took for someone to notice she was missing.  _

_ Luckily for her it was usually her papa who would have noticed and he’d manage to cajole her back to the house- her mother didn’t care as long as she sat still and looked pretty,. Other days, like today, she was less lucky and her happy bubble was burst by her mother’s steely voice.  _

_ “Regina, come here at once!”  _

_ Regina sighed but knowing it would be worse if her mother had to ask a second time reluctantly trudged back toward the house. Her mother would make some disparaging comments that Regina would pretend she didn’t hear and then repeat every single one of them like a mantra that night.  _

_ Every day Regina would wonder what she did wrong. Every day Regina would question why her mother never showed her any love or affection. Every day Regina would wake up thinking that the day would be different, but by evening Regina was convinced she was always going to be a failure,unworthy of success or love.  _

///

After he regaled her with the day’s down to every tiny detail, she suggests drawing a picture of his favourite animal that he saw on his day out that they can put on the fridge. Happily, he thinks that’s a really good idea and takes himself to his colouring table. 

Regina turns to Leo. 

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Leo?” she hisses. 

“Taking my son to the sea life centre, Regina, it’s hardly a crime,” he hisses back. 

Regina doesn’t have time for his games. “It is a violation of our custody agreement,” she responds. 

Leo clenches his teeth. “For now,” is his only reply. 

Regina feels her stomach drop. Leo is confident he’s going to win. 

He leaves, a smirk on his face. 

Regina goes to the cupboard and pours herself a large glass of wine, knowing she’s not going to sleep tonight. 

///

Will gathers the hostages, knowing they all have questions, and while he may not agree with everything, he too knows they deserve answers. They also need to know that their actions have consequences. 

“The shots you heard were from a hostage who disobeyed orders. They tried to contact a number on this phone.” He holds the phone up, ringing it, daring any of the other hostages to say or do anything.

It’s Emma that challenges him. 

He drags her to the office - It’s time for some home truths. 

“She had a phone, what did you expect me to do?” he challenges. 

“Scare her, but not kill her,” is Mal’s exasperated response. The others murmur their agreement. 

“She knew too much, she was too much of a risk,” he insists. He can’t help but think that he’s in this for the long haul, unlike some of his colleagues. 

“Does the Outlaw know?” Emma asks.

It’s then that Liam enters. He could hear them from downstairs. 

He knows before anyone says anything that it has to do with his brother - the silence speaks a thousand words. He doesn’t anticipate being told that his brother is a murderer, even if it was Will’s order. 

///

Liam leaves the room. He can feel the walls closing in and it’s too much for him. He wasn’t built for this life. He had everything: a wife, a job, a dog. He was living in a fairytale until his bubble burst. His wife was driving home from work. It was late at night and icy, and as she rounded a corner, the car on the other side lost control. She died on impact. 

The doctors tried to tell him it was quick and relatively painless. Her body would have gone into shock, numbing the pain. 

That didn’t numb his pain though. Didn’t make his pain go away. His pain and torment was endless. 

She was so young. They had their lives ahead of them. It was gone with the blink of an eye. 

He never recovered. He looked at himself and didn’t recognise his reflection. Killian had tried to help, but he was already involved with the wrong people. 

They were two lost souls roaming around together. The only thing keeping them from going completely insane was each other. 

They had both known pain in their lives, and he couldn’t imagine his little brother causing someone that same pain, but people change. 

///

Hook knows that this is risky. If anyone sees them, they’re both dead. The second safe won’t be touched by them; he’s sure of this because it’s part of the decoy plan at the end of this bloody heist. 

Belle is weak, incredibly so. Her arms are limp, she’s pale, and her breathing is shallow and he doesn’t know if she will make it. She needs medical attention, but there is no way that they can get access to that. 

He can’t risk blood droplets leading to their demise, so he pulls a tie he’d seen in the director’s office (that imp is good for something at least) and ties it securely around her wound before scooping her up. Thankfully, she doesn’t weigh much and he’s able to carry her. 

Deciding that the best option is to do this in as little time as possible, he dashes to the corner stairs, the ones that they don’t use, and hopes that if there is a God, he grants him this small act of mercy. 

He’s not sure if he breathes for the next three or four minutes, but when he places her in the safe, he does. 

It’s not over yet, far from it, but here at least she is safe. 

///

Not for the first, or ,last time, Robin feels like he’s making his best worst mistake. He’s not usually someone who takes risks. He’s not usually someone who senses such an instant connection with someone. He’s shy and awkward and doesn’t like people. There’s something about Regina that’s different. It’s far beyond her being part of the case. Maybe it’s the way she smiles, elusive but extremely satisfying, when she thinks no one is watching. Maybe it’s the way her eyes dance, as they soak up information around her Maybe it’s the way she is unapologetically herself, something which so many have condemned as weakness, but in reality, it only shows the true strength she has. Maybe it’s because out of all the things you can plan in life, who you fall in love with is one thing that’s left to faith and trust and pixie dust. 

So whether it’s the romantic or the masochist (they’re going to get hurt eventually) in him, he doesn’t know, but he picks up the phone and dials Regina’s newly acquired number. 

///

Regina usually keeps her phone on silent or in a locker when she’s working,but after what happened with Leo and Henry, she’s kept it in her blazer pocket today. Just in case. 

When it rings and it’s an unknown number, she almost instinctively rejects the call. It will be someone telling her she’s been in an accident that wasn’t her fault or trying to sell her something. For some reason, she hesitates. She hates answering calls from unknown numbers, but if she doesn’t, she’ll only think about it all day and she needs to keep her mind focused on the heist. 

She’s surprised when it’s him, Robin, the cute British guy from Granny’s. She’s even more surprised when he asks if she’s available to meet after work for a meal if she doesn’t have to get back to her son. 

She does, she should, especially after the mess yesterday, but he’d called and she owes him an apology at the very least, so she agrees. 

She spends the rest of the day pouring all of her energy into the heist and trying to convince herself that the meeting isn’t a date. 

///

When she does arrive at the cafe, she’s unsurprised to see that he’s already there. She half wonders if he lives here, but she’s still embarrassed by all her other cock-ups, so she’s going to let him do the talking today. 

She sits and tells the waitress, Ruby, that she’ll have a coffee please. Robin asks for the same. 

She’s incredibly nervous, but from the way his knee is bouncing under the table, so is he. That at least makes her feel a little better. 

///

He’s glad Ruby came over straight away. It gave him a minute to stop gawking and compose himself. It’s not like it’s the first time he’s seen her, but she seems different today. He wouldn’t say freer ( he can see the pain and sadness lingering in her eyes) , but she does seem more confident, more sure of herself. 

There’s an awkward silence for a moment; though this isn’t their first conversation or casual meeting, it feels different. Like a date. Except it is not a date. It cannot be a date. 

Despite the fact that this is a casual meeting between friends and definitely not a date, Robin wants the evening to be a pleasant one. One where they can both relax and forget the pressures of the outside world. 

“Forgive me, I just need to know: is everything okay with you and the boy?” he questions. 

It’s a question he thinks he knows the answer to - no, she’s not, not quite. He also knows that she’s got an inner strength, a fire, that means that while she might not be okay today or even tomorrow, she will be. Soon. 

He expects a witty remark or a polite refusal to answer the question, possibly a stony silence. He doesn’t expect those beautiful hazel eyes to brim with tears. He doesn’t expect her mask to visibly slip. 

“I attacked you, tried to arrest you, stole your phone and countless other things and all you ask is how I am?” she replies, her voice quivering. 

Oh, if only she knew, she wouldn’t feel so guilty. Not that she has anything to feel guilty about. She’s human, and he thinks that sometimes she forgets that, superhuman that she is. 

The unshed tears are now sobs that stream down her face, hidden by her hands. He wants to reach over and remove them, hold her hand in his and reassure her that it will be alright. He doesn’t want to scare her though, so he just lets her cry.

After a few minutes and some deep breaths, Regina removes her hands from her face, taking the tissue he’d offered to wipe away the remaining tears. She still can’t quite look him in the eye, but he’s okay with that for now. 

“No. Nothing is okay. I’m a mess. My life is a mess. I can’t crack this case - there’s a missing link that I can’t find. There’s so many little things, so many details, that some daysI feel like I’m concentrating on the wrong thing. That there’s something so obvious, something staring me in the face that I’m missing,” she rambles. 

He’s glad that Regina isn’t looking at him, because while he’s a good liar when he needs to be, she’d know. Of that he has no doubt. He half expects that she already does, and is waiting for the handcuffs to appear again or perhaps her team, including that buffoon, Sidney,who he’s sure will have a smug smile on his face. It doesn’t happen though, and slowly his heart rate returns to normal. 

He hums, mutters that, “You’re not being stupid for thinking that,” and continues to listen to her. He’s glad when the conversation moves to her son. 

“I feel like I’m failing him, Henry, my son, again. He’s seen too much in his short life. He doesn’t remember it all, thankfully, but the fact that he’s seen any of it makes my heart break. He loves his dad and I don’t want to ruin that relationship, but Leo is dangerous. He wouldn’t hurt Henry - not intentionally. He knows that not even he would be able to get out of that, and part of him does love his son, but he’s a hot tempered guy. If someone makes him angry he’ll lash out, and I don’t want Henry to witness that. It’s not like I’m much better. I'm never there, especially now, and when I am, we’re like ships passing in the night - he’s just going to bed or waking up and then I’m off again. I get one day a week where I’m with him, but it’s not enough. I’m just so tired,” she laments. 

He sees an apology forming on her lips, but he stops her. “You don’t need to apologise, milady. If it helped to get things off your chest then I’m happy to have been of service. Don’t punish yourself because you’re not there enough, I’m sure your son will understand. You do your work because you love him, because you want to provide for him. That makes you a busy parent, not a bad one,” he assures. 

///

Regina raises her brow. She’s not used to people being this nice and genuinely kind. She’d be lying if she wasn’t still slightly suspicious - there’s still something about him that she can’t quite place, but maybe it’s as simple as the fact he’s a nice guy, and unfortunately she doesn’t know many of those. 

Talking and crying it out, while slightly embarrassing, has helped her and lifted a weight off her shoulders, so she’ll take the compliment and continue to wonder what she did to deserve such a handsome, kind stranger walking into her life. 

She can see that he still has questions, so she obliges him, “You can ask.” 

/// *TW 

He shouldn’t. It’s a stupid question, in fact it’s barely even a question, but he’s curious. “I just look at you and I don’t see...” 

He’s annoying her, he knew he shouldn’t have said anything. “You don’t see a weak girl? A woman asking for it?” she questions. 

He gulps and stammers, but she’s cut him off again. 

“It didn’t start with a slap, or didn’t in my case. He was nice,but it was a marriage of convenience rather than love - one which my mother approved of. I wasn’t entirely convinced but what mother wants, she gets and once I got to know him he seemed nice enough. He was attentive in a way that was thoughtful, always leaving me little pick-me-ups and notes of encouragement. He was smart - we didn’t always agree, he’s more conservative than I am, but we’d always have a good debate. He supported me going into the Police. It wasn’t, and still isn’t, always a place where women feel welcome and he encouraged me to follow my dreams. He told me I was good enough. He wasn’t perfect - there’d be late nights where he’d go out and I wouldn’t know if he was coming home. His temper was fierce. He had a deep sense of personal justice. Overall though, it was okay - until it wasn’t. 

“It started not long after I’d had Henry. It was a complicated birth - last minute C section, and Henry was underweight, so he required constant supervision. I suffered from postnatal depression, but Leo didn’t recognise that. Or he did but he didn’t care. Having a baby inconvenienced him. Having a wife who was sweaty and splotchy and couldn’t lose her baby weight inconvenienced him. Fatherhood didn’t suit him and his temper became more erratic. He’d spend longer out at the pub while I struggled to soothe Henry, only to come stomping back in when I’d finally got him down. 

The first time he slapped me was after Henry’s first birthday. It was a family affair and an awkward one at that. It was for appearances more than anything. My mother told me to grow up. He begrudged his son even having a party, claiming that it’s not like he’s going to remember it, and when I refused to have sex with him, he slapped me.”

“He apologised the next morning, and for a few weeks things were better, but there was always something that would trigger him.”

“I didn’t say anything for years. I was a new mum, and I didn’t think I could do it on my own. Then #metoo happened and all of a sudden it was okay to talk about it. 

That’s something you need to understand. Women weren’t surprised about the stories - not really. Every woman has some kind of story - being catcalled, a whistle, a not so subtle grab, a ‘you really want me.’ We were surprised because suddenly there was a space to have that conversation. It was still a risk - Leo was, is a cop, the most popular at the station, and I was his wife. I knew people would dismiss it, but I couldn’t, not anymore. I also found out that my sister had ‘fallen in love with him.’ I couldn’t even find it in myself to be angry at the betrayal because I didn’t want her to go through what I did. I filed for divorce and though he denies the charges, he agreed to that.” 

He doesn’t know what to say - there’s nothing he can say. Sorry is woefully inadequate. He decides to risk, “Feel free to send him my way, I’d be happy to have more than a conversation with him.” 

It works, she smiles and reaches her hand out over the table. 

He takes it, and though the evening took a different turn from what he was expecting, he’s happy. He feels like he knows her, Regina, now, rather than just the detective. Love is in the air. In short, his plan is doomed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for reading! Please do let me know what you think and that people are still reading! 
> 
> Happy Saturday!

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first OQ multi chapter so any and all feedback is welcome! 
> 
> updates will be at least monthly as I am still in the process of writing the fic. Please be assured that the fic will be finished. 
> 
> Thank you very much for reading!


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